A Second Chance at Love
by Minako-chan2
Summary: Usagi sits at church on her wedding day, surrounded by her loved ones giving her words of comfort. Where's the groom? Why did he leave her on their wedding day?
1. Default Chapter

A Second Chance At Love  
By: Minako-chan  
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Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say Sailor Moon belongs to me,  
it doesn't. *shoulders sagging*  
  
Author's Notes: Just a fic inspired by a short Chinese series.  
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com ^_^  
  
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Laughter filled the air inside the limousine. Wine glasses made   
the sounds of "clunk" against one another. One man stood out from   
the crowd. His laughter sounded melodious, for from this day forth,   
he was the happiest man in the world.  
  
He ran his hands through his hair, his face turning red from the   
rising temperature and embarrassment. Two other friends sat with   
him, congratulating and joking about what his future held for him.   
His best friend glanced at him and sighed silently. 'Shouldn't I   
be happy for him?'   
  
The young man fixed his collar and adjusted his almost-perfect   
hair once again from the reflection of the tinted glass behind   
the driver's head. A smile played on his lips as he glanced at   
his reflection.  
  
He was no longer going to be alone.  
  
He closed his eyes and brought the wine glass to his lips, taking  
a final sip. Half a glass was enough, for now, he thought.   
  
While he was swallowing, the sound of a horn forced his eyes open.   
The driver slammed onto the brakes immediately but was too late.   
The three men watched in horror as a truck slid on the road in zig-  
zag motion, and headed in their direction.  
  
The wine glass left his hand, the glass shattering onto the floor   
of the vehicle, only making a faint sound compared to the tires   
screeching and screaming from the driver and his friends.  
  
For him, time slowed and he watched everything in slow motion.   
His life played before his eyes as if on a VCR. Mainly her.   
  
HER.  
  
The moment they met, their first date, their first kiss, his   
proposal, her acceptance, planning their future together...  
  
And all was lost, and he knew it.  
  
He watched, helpless of the situation, as the truck slammed into   
their limousine. Screams, then silence. He lifted his heavy eye-  
lids, seeing everything turn from light pink to red.   
  
A tear escaped as he mouthed her name.  
  
His eyelids dropped again as he heard the faint sounds of sirens.   
Unable to hold on any longer, he decided to close his eyes. The   
image of her slowly faded from his mind and his head fell onto his   
best friend's trembling shoulders.  
  
"Hold on, please...hold on..." His best friend called out, looking   
around him, realizing the driver was silent as well, his head on   
the steering wheel.  
  
The sounds of the sirens grew nearer now, and soon the door was   
forced open as the paramedics rushed in.  
  
"One survivor!" A woman cried out to the rest of the team as she   
tried to bring out the bodies.  
  
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She sat on the bench, listening to the serene music, trying to calm   
her nerves. Glancing at her father's watch, she chewed her perfectly   
pink-tinted lip nervously.  
  
Her father looked at her lovingly and wrapped an arm around her white   
shoulders, tears evident in his eyes.  
  
"My baby is all grown up." He whispered.  
  
Her mother exchanged proud glances with him and nodded in agreement,   
sobbing into a small hankerchief.  
  
"Don't worry, baby, he will be here soon." Her mother whispered.  
  
She fidgeted with her white-gloved fingers, her heart feeling   
uneasy. Was it normal to have this type of anxiety? She had heard   
countless stories about this type of situation. But, she glanced   
at the watch again, why was he half an hour late?  
  
She stared at the cross up at the front, then at the priest, who   
smiled at her warmly. Her relatives and friends were already   
getting restless.   
  
She tugged at the pearl necklace that had been passed on to her   
from her great grandmother, twirling the string around her fingers,   
pulling it around her neck nervously.  
  
Then, the string broke, and the pearls fell like tiny raindrops   
all around her.  
  
The aching sinking feeling inside her heart grew stronger. She   
looked at the cross again and silently prayed.  
  
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He opened his eyes and found a woman bandaging his arms, which   
were throbbing.  
  
The woman, seeing he was conscious again, looked at him with sympathy.  
  
"How are you feeling, Mr. Chiba?" She asked as she carefully wrapped   
another layer of bandage on his right arm.  
  
Chiba Mamoru's throat felt dry and his voice was hoarse. "How...  
how are the others?" He asked, afraid that he already knew the answer.   
Tears gathered in his eyes.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, sir..." She whispered and bit her lip sadly.   
Although she had been on the job for years, it was still hard to be   
the bearer of such tragic news.  
  
"How long have I been unconscious?" His voice trembled.  
  
"30 minutes..." She replied, unable to meet him in the eyes.  
  
'30 minutes...' he thought, 'she will still be waiting...'  
  
"Am I the only survivor?" He whispered.  
  
The woman could only nod. Mamoru stood up angrily with his fists   
tightening, his nails digging into his broken skin. With tears  
coursing down his cheeks, he shrugged off the woman's hand from   
his arm, and rushed to his best friend's side. Shaking violently   
with sobs, he reached into his friend's pocket and took out a   
small letter. Then, with aching legs and blurring vision, Mamoru   
rushed out of the hospital - to go to her.  
  
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The watch beeped when an hour went by. She played with her   
fingers again, feeling that it had been the longest hour she   
had ever experienced.  
  
Traffic, perhaps, was holding him back? Her mind raced through a   
thousand possibilities.  
  
The crowd was really restless now. Children were crying, tugging   
at their little suits and dresses uncomfortably, the older ones   
were either sleeping or staring in a distance; her friends sat   
around her, giving her comforting words every now and then.  
  
The wide wooden doors opened suddenly with a loud boom. Mamoru   
panted in the doorway, his hair messy, his tuxedo torn, and his   
whole body was aching with blood stains all over.  
  
She jumped at the loud noise and turned around, a big smile   
spreading across her lips. Everyone fell silent and whipped   
around, expecting to see the one person they were all waiting  
for.  
  
"Where have you been, M---" Her mouth fell open and no sound   
came out as her eyes roamed over Mamoru's injured form.  
  
Suddenly the room was deadly silent, the only sound was   
Mamoru's panting and the rustling of her veil.  
  
"Usagi..." Her mother stood beside her, worried.   
  
Usagi swallowed hard and furrowed her brows. As if paralyzed,  
she continued staring at Mamoru, who was supporting himself  
with his hands on the doorframe, the wind blowing behind him.  
She looked into his eyes and then at his tear-stained cheeks.  
A look of confusion crossed her features.  
  
Mamoru's heart sank at the confused and pained expression on  
her face. She was so beautiful, so delicate, so...  
  
He snapped out of his thoughts. She remained standing there,  
which made everything so much more painful to him. Slowly,  
he took a shaky step forward, stepping onto the polished  
floor, his footstep making a loud echo.  
  
"What...what happened?" She choked out the question in a   
whisper.  
  
"Usa...Usagi..." Mamoru's voice trembled as his hands settled   
onto her shoulders, his blood staining her dress.  
  
"Nani?" She blinked twice, and her unshed tears glistened  
in the light.  
  
Mamoru's heart swelled as he studied her for the very first  
time since he stepped in. She looked radiant in her gown,  
like a perfect doll. Unconsciously his grip on her shoulders  
tightened as he inhaled deeply and let it out, trembling.  
  
"There..." He paused, as Usagi leaned forward, anticipating  
his answer. "There was...an accident."  
  
A soft gasp was her reaction. Usagi quickly shook Mamoru's  
hands off her and peered over his broad shoulders from left  
to right frantically.  
  
"Where...where..." She wiped her tears with the back of her  
gloved hands, squinting her eyes to see past the doorway.  
  
"Usagi..." Mamoru squeezed her shoulders again, stopping  
her. She looked at him with crystalline tears falling.  
  
"Where is he?" Usagi cried. "This is some type of mean joke  
that you're playing on me, right? Like all the other pranks  
you've pulled on me?"  
  
She waited for his answer, watching his pale features care-  
fully, trying so hard to find hope. Mamoru only closed his   
eyes.  
  
After a prolonged moment, he opened them again, tears  
escaping underneath his dark lashes.  
  
Usagi stepped back, shaking her head from side to side, her  
chest rising and falling from her ragged breath. Her own tears   
made their way down her powdered doll face. Her eyes widened  
in horror at the realization. She knew.  
  
She lifted her dress, shrugged Mamoru's hands off her stained  
shoulders and ran past Mamoru through the doorway.  
  
Rushing down the steps, Usagi whimpered when she saw the   
limousine that she was supposed to travel in once her wedding   
ceremony was over. It was decorated with ribbons and bows on  
the outside, and there was a set of figurines at the front, of  
a smiling groom and a winking bride.  
  
She tripped then, down the steps, collapsing. Usagi brought   
her knees to her chest as she tried to wipe away her tears   
with her gloves, only to stain them with her makeup. Behind   
her stood Mamoru with his eyes closed, trying to stop his tears   
from falling. Usagi's family, relatives and friends stood   
behind him in the wide doorway, some unable to look at her at   
all and diverted their attention elsewhere.  
  
Usagi looked up, her whole body shaking from her angry tears.  
  
"Motoki, why?" She screamed with grief, her eyes focused on the   
figure of the groom on the limousine. Immediately, she lost her   
voice and could only choke painfully.  
  
Her anguish cry echoed down the empty streets, along with the   
sound of her veil flapping in the wind.  
  
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Stay tuned for Chapter 2: Raindrops  
  
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Author's Notes: Hello! A new fic...hope you liked it! Like I said, it  
was inspired by a short Chinese series (TV). It was a tragedy, by the  
way...I think you can tell ;) Seems like I've been writing depressing  
stuff lately, but don't worry, I don't throw in sad endings unless I  
have a reason to (i.e. I was going through a hard time in real life  
as I was writing "What Exactly Are We?", hence the original sad   
epilogue) Please e-mail me all your comments! I'd love to hear from  
you! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com  
  
Special note to Usa-p: Get well soon so you can eat lots, drink lots  
(honey of course), and WRITE lots! *grins* And extra big special   
thanks for your great suggestions^_^  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Raindrops

A Second Chance At Love  
Chapter 2: Raindrops  
By: Minako-chan  
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Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say Sailor Moon belongs to me,  
it doesn't. *shoulders sagging*  
  
Author's Notes: Just a fic inspired by a short Chinese series.  
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com ^_^  
  
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Chapter 2: Raindrops  
  
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"How's Usagi?" Mamoru asked Usagi's mother on the telephone the  
night after the accident.  
  
"I honestly...honestly don't know, Mamoru." Usagi's mother sobbed  
and blew her nose.   
  
"Is there anything I can do?" Leaning onto the kitchen counter  
for support, Mamoru closed his eyes painfully as the image of  
Usagi in her blood-stained gown haunted him.  
  
"Iie, I'm afraid not, Mamoru. Not unless Motoki comes back  
himself..." She whimpered and hung up the phone without   
another word.  
  
'Not unless Motoki comes back himself...' Mamoru replayed the  
words in his mind as he listened to the rhythmic dialtone long  
after she had hung up.  
  
He reached into his coat pocket and brought out a worn, blood-  
covered letter. One that contained the vow that Motoki had  
spent countless nights working on...now the work went in vain.  
He could never say it to Usagi, he could never put the ring  
on her finger, he could never make her his wife.  
  
"Damnit, Motoki..." Mamoru stared out the window into the  
starless night, "why did you let go? Why couldn't you hold  
on - if not for life itself, then for HER?"  
  
Then, Mamoru took out his wallet and stared at a small picture  
of the beautiful Usagi standing with his best friend, Motoki.  
A headache, along with a heartache, forced his eyes to close,  
and once again, Mamoru felt alone, realization of his best  
friend gone from this world forever finally dawned on him,  
and he was afraid, his other best friend and his love, Tsukino  
Usagi, would slowly slip away from him as well.  
  
Slowly, his finger trailed over Usagi's face on the picture,  
lingering on her rosy cheek. He was going to let his best   
friend marry her...no, he had no choice but to let them  
be...Usagi had never loved him the way she loved Motoki. She  
had loved him since she was just a child. Motoki had treated  
her like a little sister at first, then he saw the same light  
in her that Mamoru had seen from the very start. Then, the  
rest of history.   
  
They would have been so happy together, exactly like a prince  
and princess straight out from a fairy tale. But then of   
course, princes would never die in most fairy tales. They   
would always find their true loves and live happily ever after.   
And like in these wonderful stories, princes would always have   
a loyal friend who would somehow be forgotten at the end of the   
story. Mamoru played this role. Were there any tales in which   
the friend fell in love with the princess and received her love in   
return?  
  
Mamoru shook his head as he remembered the look on Usagi's  
face when she heard the church doors open. The happiness and  
hope on her features showed pure love for Motoki.  
  
"You could never love me, Usako...never...you could never..."  
He dropped the picture onto the kitchen counter on top of  
the letter Motoki had written, and sank into the couch, staring  
at the ceiling until the sun came up, crying until he thought  
he had no tears left.  
  
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She sat on her bed, rocking herself back and forth. Tears  
fell every now and then, and she paid no attention to them.  
She already got used to them, as if they were meant to fall.  
  
"Usagi, dear..." Her mother walked into the room, slowly  
opening the door.  
  
Usagi stared straight ahead at the blank wall, her eyes  
unblinking, tears continuing to fall.  
  
"Usagi..." Her mother sniffled as she glanced at her dear  
daughter, then at the untouched tray of food settled on her   
desk.  
  
Usagi blinked once, then twice. Then she looked down at her   
ring finger and smiled.  
  
"I'm Furuhata Usagi today, mama." She whispered and let out   
a whimper.  
  
Her mother broke down then, rushing to Usagi's side. "Usagi,   
I know how difficult this must be for you right now...but   
please, just talk to me. Talk to your friends...you need   
to get some fresh air...and you need to eat..."  
  
"I can't, mama, Motoki is coming to pick me up for the honey-  
moon." She glanced out the window and smiled. "He promised it   
will be a great surprise for me."  
  
Usagi's father stood in the hallway and watched with tear-  
filled eyes. He could not utter a single word. Shingo, Usagi's   
little brother, for once could not find in his heart any words   
to tease his older sister. No matter how much they quarreled,   
he loved her and hated to see her in such pain.   
  
"I...I know, dear...but...but you need to eat so you can have   
energy for...for the surprise, right?" Her mother closed her   
eyes to squeeze out her tears.  
  
"No, Motoki said it's a place where I can eat all the best   
desserts in the world. I'm going to save it for that." Usagi   
turned to look at her mother with stormy blue eyes clouded   
with tears.  
  
"Usagi..." The only word her mother could say.  
  
"Aww, mama, I'll be back soon. I'll always visit. It's not   
like Motoki and I are living far away." Usagi reached out   
and held her mother's hand.  
  
Her mother jerked her hand away painfully and covered her   
face with her hands.  
  
"I can't take this, Usagi! I know this is hard for you,  
but Motoki ... he's not coming back, as much as all of us   
want him to! Usagi, can't you see that?" Her mother cried  
out in agony.  
  
Usagi fell back onto the bed violently and buried her face   
in the pillow.  
  
"I know, mama..." She whispered through a muffled sob, "but   
for once, I thought it would be nice if I could talk like a   
real bride..."  
  
Her father and Shingo rushed into the room then, unable to   
control their pain, and embraced Usagi's fragile form on the   
bed, letting their own tears fall.  
  
"Usagi, dear, Motoki loved you so much...he'll hate to see you   
like this...please, Usagi..." Her father kissed her hair and   
patted her head gently like he did when she was a little girl.  
  
"It feels like he's still here...it's so hard..." Usagi lifted   
her head from the pillow and buried her face in her father's   
chest, soaking his shirt immediately with her tears.  
  
"You still have us, Usagi, we love you, your friends love you.   
We will always be here for you." He whispered.  
  
"Why did he leave me?" She trembled and clutched his shirt   
tightly, expecting an answer. He looked down at her hesitantly,   
then looked away, unable to answer.  
  
Usagi glanced at a picture of Motoki on her nightstand.  
  
  
"You couldn't even say goodbye, Motoki...you couldn't even say goodbye..."  
  
  
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Mamoru sat by the window as the rain fell outside. He crossed his arms   
and sank into the big cushion behind his back. Taking off his reading  
glasses, he closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of nature.  
  
The rain drops hit the glass every few seconds. Mamoru placed a finger  
against the cool glass, wanting to touch a rain drop. But the window  
was closed, so of course, he could never touch it.  
  
It was so close, yet so far away.  
  
'Usako...' He murmured.  
  
A soft knock was heard on the door. Snapping out of his thoughts,  
Mamoru settled his glasses on the coffee table as he rubbed his eyes  
with the back of his hands. He had been having a few sleepless  
nights since the accident.  
  
Dejectedly he opened the door without even looking to see who his  
visitor was. And without even looking, he could tell it was her  
when the door was only half way open, when her face was not even  
revealed. He could always sense her when she was near. His heart  
always beat wildly against his chest.  
  
"Usagi!" His eyes widened as he opened the door wider to let her  
in. "What...what..."  
  
"What am I doing here, you mean?" Usagi smiled weakly as she  
pulled the hood off of her golden head and bent down to retrieve  
a small box from the floor.  
  
Mamoru nodded sheepishly as he looked at the lidded box with  
growing curiosity.  
  
"Do you want me to put this away for you?" He asked as she stepped  
inside his dark apartment.  
  
She did not answer his question but held onto the box tightly, as  
if afraid of letting it go. She looked around.  
  
"Do you always keep your place this dark?" She whispered shakily  
as she jumped slightly when lightning flashed in the sky.  
  
"Sorry, Usagi." Mamoru smiled and reached out for the lightswitch  
behind her.   
  
Immediately, Mamoru could see Usagi's swollen eyes and tear-stained  
cheeks.  
  
"How are you, Usagi?" He said as he held her arm gently, nudging her  
to go sit down with him on the couch.  
  
She smiled as her eyes watered up. "I'm fine. Arigato, Mamoru-san."  
  
"Sit down, Usagi. I'll go get you some hot chocolate." He turned  
around before he could see her tears fall out. How he hated to   
see her cry, and how he hated the fact that he would not be able  
to make her feel better.  
  
Usagi placed the box on the coffee table and saw Mamoru's reading  
glasses. She picked them up and held them gingerly. She let out  
a soft whimper, one that was not meant to be heard.  
  
Inside the kitchen, the mug that Mamoru held in his hands fell,   
the glass breaking into tiny pieces, the hot liquid spilling over   
the polished floor. Ignoring the mess, Mamoru rushed out of the   
kitchen to Usagi, who was now trying to stop her crying, to no   
avail.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Usagi..." He kneeled before her and took her hands  
away from her face. Sad blue eyes met his.  
  
Without a word, Usagi lifted the reading glasses to his face.  
  
"Motoki had the same pair...I used to tease you two...saying that  
you two had to have everything the same except for that green  
blazer of yours...he had a brown one...I...I used to laugh so  
hard..." She squeezed her eyes shut and pulled her hands away  
from Mamoru's hold, covering her face once more as her cries  
echoed in the small living room.  
  
"I know...I'm sorry, Usagi." Mamoru reached out and pulled her  
into an embrace. "I am so sorry." He whispered as he kissed her   
hair lovingly and let her cry.  
  
After a few minutes, Usagi opened her eyes again and was reminded  
of the reason of her visiting Mamoru the first place. She reached  
out a pale hand for the box on his coffee table and pulled the lid  
open.  
  
Mamoru let her go as she pushed herself off the couch and sat on   
the carpet, taking a deep breath as she reached in for the contents  
of the box.  
  
Photographs of them three together, a baseball cap, a old T-shirt,  
a few novels, and some old letters.  
  
"I was helping Motoki's parents clean his room today, and I found  
these." She whispered.  
  
Mamoru looked at her, puzzled. "Don't you want to keep them?"  
  
Usagi shook her head sadly. "I think he would have liked you  
to have them. After all, most of this stuff belong to you." She  
smiled weakly.  
  
The baseball cap was Mamoru's, but since Motoki liked it so  
much, he snatched it off Mamoru's head one year when they  
were still teenagers, and had kept it ever since.  
  
Same thing with the T-shirt.  
  
The novels were the ones that Mamoru recommended to Motoki to  
read merely a few months before the accident.  
  
The letters were ones in which Motoki and Mamoru exchanged in  
class when they were bored. They were short, informal notes,  
consisting of only a few sentences in each. Who knew Motoki  
was so sentimental, Mamoru thought sadly. He wished he would  
have done the same thing, so he would have more memories of his  
very best friend.  
  
Motoki had always been the warm and loving one. Sensitive,  
caring, a true romantic. Every girl's dream.   
  
"Mamoru?" Usagi called out after he remained silent for long  
minutes.  
  
"Nani?" He blinked and looked at her. Her eyes were full of  
concern, even through her tears.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked.  
  
Mamoru laughed sadly. "Why should you be worried about me?"  
He raised an eyebrow. Usagi smiled and continued sorting  
through the photographs inside the box. He kept the real  
meaning of the question to himself.  
  
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TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 3: So Far Yet So Near  
  
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Hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter! It will move  
a little faster soon!^_^ Please send me all comments to:  
cupid_teacup@hotmail.com  
  
Thank you^_^ 


	3. So Near Yet So Far

A Second Chance At Love  
Chapter 3: So Near Yet So Far  
By: Minako-chan  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say Sailor Moon belongs to me,  
it doesn't. *shoulders sagging*  
  
Author's Notes: Just a fic inspired by a short Chinese series.  
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com ^_^  
  
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Chapter 3: So Near Yet So Far  
  
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Mamoru walked back into the living room with yet another mug of   
hot chocolate in his hands.  
  
"Usagi, I---" He paused as he glanced at the still, fragile form  
on his couch. Usagi had fallen asleep, clutching onto a picture  
of Motoki and Mamoru.  
  
"Usako." He murmured as he tiptoed to the lightswitch and dimmed  
the lights to a soft, yellow glow. Setting the mug on the coffee  
table without making a sound, he bent down slowly and studied her  
angelic features.  
  
Her cheeks were flushed from crying. But she had been so brave.  
After breaking down when she had first entered his apartment with  
the box, she had contained her emotions, knowing that Mamoru him-  
self was going through as much pain as she was.  
  
She had not contained her emotions. She only tried.  
  
Mamoru knew what she was feeling deep down inside. Her smiles  
might have fooled herself, but they would never fool him.   
Because he loved her.  
  
"Usako." He whispered huskily as he lifted a trembling hand  
to her soft, flawless skin. Stroking her tear-stained cheek,  
he let his finger trace along her lower lip. Her brows furrowed   
at the tender touch, but she did not awaken.  
  
He brushed his hand lightly across her forehead and removed a   
few strands of golden silk away from her eyes. Then, knowing  
that he might never have the opportunity if she had been awake,  
he bent down and kissed her forehead. It had merely lasted  
a second, but for Mamoru, it was eternal bliss. The taste  
of her skin lingered upon his lips, and he hesitated, wanting  
to do it just once more.   
  
And Mamoru bent down again, closing his eyes as his lips touched   
her skin again. Tears fell and splashed on her cheeks.  
  
"Usako, you are so beautiful." He whispered again as Usagi turned   
her head away, her lips curving upwards into a slight smile.  
  
"Motoki..." She murmured, and turned and buried her face into a   
cushion.  
  
The name of his best friend brought Mamoru back to reality like   
a slap in the face. As if dunked into a pool of ice cold water,   
Mamoru suddenly realized what he had done. What he had almost   
given into - his own selfish desires. He could not betray   
Motoki - he was his best friend. He had already been guilty of   
loving Usagi, when Motoki had been her love.   
  
Mamoru stepped out to his balcony and watched the stars blink at   
each other, mocking his misery, mocking his loneliness.  
  
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Usagi awoke to a dark room of cold air. The flapping of curtains   
was the only sound she could hear. Furrowing her brows, she let   
her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room, and she stirred on   
the couch.   
  
Getting up, she squinted her eyes and noticed a line of golden   
light coming from the window.  
  
The curtain continued to flap, and she realized the window was   
opened. Goosebumps covered her arms as she shivered against the   
cold breeze.  
  
"Mamoru-san?" She called out softly, finally remembering that the   
last time she saw him was when he said he was going into the   
kitchen for a refill of hot chocolate for her.  
  
He did not reply. Usagi pulled the sliding glass window open and   
gasped.  
  
Mamoru sat on the hard ground of the balcony, his arms folded in   
front of him, his chin touching his chest. The wind made his ebony   
bangs dance, covering his closed eyes, the rain soaking his shirt,   
matting it to his skin.  
  
Usagi saw the tear stains, and approached the sleeping figure as   
quietly as she could.   
  
He had been so brave, so strong, she thought. He had been the one   
standing by her side through out. She had hurt him greatly. Baka!   
She said to herself. She knew Motoki was his best friend, yet she   
had come to him and cried her heart out when he had probably been   
doing the same thing by himself.  
  
'Usagi, you are so selfish.' She thought.  
  
Gently, Usagi brushed the bangs from his eyes as she removed her   
thin cardigan and placed it over his chest. Her finger touched his   
cool forehead and she let her hand caress his cheek in a caring   
manner.  
  
Mamoru, in a half-sleep, half-awake state, thought that he had felt   
her touch. His eyes opened ever so slowly and saw his angel merely   
inches away from him.  
  
"Mamoru-san, arigato." She whispered and leaned forward, intending   
to kiss his forehead in the same manner as he, only with different  
meaning. She had only seen him as her best friend. An older   
brother, even.  
  
Mamoru's heart fluttered wildly in his chest. He was certain it was   
a dream. But he would not let the opportunity pass him by, even   
though it was just a dream. When she leaned forward, he opened his   
eyes fully and tilted his head upwards, capturing her lips with his   
own.  
  
Usagi opened her eyes, shocked, as she realized what had just happened.   
She pulled back and stood up abruptly, staring at the startled Mamoru.   
His eyes widened as he came to the same realization.  
  
It had -not- been a dream, Mamoru said to himself, a little too late   
for the realization.  
  
It had been a short, chaste kiss, but one that he knew he would never   
forget. But neither would he be able to forget the look on her face   
afterward. The look of confusion, pain, and ... a hint of rage.  
  
"What...what just happened?" Her fists tightened as her tears glistened.  
  
"Go--gomen, Usagi...I--"   
  
Before he could come up with an excuse, or to let her know the truth,   
Usagi had rushed through the narrow gap that separated the outside   
from his apartment. A moment later, the door slammed.  
  
Mamoru could only sit there, frozen to the spot, his lips still   
tingling from the kiss. He hit his forehead with the palm of his   
hand, and jerked his head back, staring at the brightly-lit sky.  
  
It was not until he heard running footsteps from the outside of his   
apartment complex that he decided to move from his spot. Knowing   
that it was Usagi running away, he stood up and watched her figure   
becoming smaller and smaller as the distance between them increased,   
and not just physically.  
  
The cardigan that she had placed upon him slipped off his chest and   
fell, his arm reaching out but a little too late. He watched with   
desperation as the pale blue - the colour of her beautiful eyes -   
cardigan descended onto the ground stories below, landing onto a   
puddle of rain.  
  
Looking away, he spotted the picture of Motoki and himself on the   
ground. Usagi must have dropped it on her way out. He bent over   
as he tried to pick it up, but he couldn't.  
  
Trembling uncontrollably, Mamoru fell back and his chin quivered as  
he stared at the picture on the ground, raindrops wearing the surface.  
  
"What have I done?" Mamoru cried. "I'm so sorry, Motoki, I'm sorry   
I betrayed you...I'm sorry I've been betraying you ever since Usagi   
came into our lives."  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Usagi cringed as she stepped into her dark, silent house. Her   
family had gone out for dinner with their neighbour, thinking  
that Usagi would stay at Mamoru's longer.  
  
Her barefeet hurt, and she realized that she had not even stayed  
long enough to put on her raincoat and her shoes. Sneezing,  
Usagi hit her head on the door after she closed it, closing her  
eyes, feeling an intense headache coming.  
  
"How could you do this to me, Mamoru?" She said, her voice   
muffled. "How could you betray your own best friend?"  
  
The phone rang, cutting through the thick silence of the room,  
making Usagi jump. Cursing, Usagi approached the phone with  
caution, knowing very well just who was on the other line.  
  
She let it ring five times, then six, then seven...  
  
"Hi, this is the Tsukinos residence. We apologize for not   
being able to take your call, but please leave your name,  
your number and your message after the beep, and we will get   
back to you as soon as possible."  
  
The beep rang loudly in the room. Usagi continued to stare  
at the red sports car shaped phone, her breath ragged.  
  
"Usagi, I know you are there. Please pick up, please listen  
to me...please..."  
  
Usagi's hand reached for the phone, but she jerked it back  
as soon as her fingers touched it, as if it was a burning  
flame.  
  
"Please..." Mamoru continued to plead. In a swift motion,  
Usagi yanked the plug from the wall violently, cutting his  
painful pleas short. She ran to her room, wanting to wake  
up from this terrible dream.  
  
Moments later, the tall figure of Mamoru stood on her drive-  
way with his whole being completely soaked from the cold rain.   
He stayed there staring at the immense dark house with clouded   
eyes until he heard her parents' car approaching. It was then   
that he decided to retrieve to his apartment once more, expecting   
another sleepless night.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 4: The Kiss Meant Nothing  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
A.N.: Hello! Sorry this took so long to get out...I've had a hectic  
week at university *hangs head*...anyways, thanks for reading this  
far, and I promise for more mush soon^_^ Thanks to Usa-p, Arty,  
Bunny-chan (didn't forget you this time^_~), Lelu, Anime Queen,   
those on the SMRFF list who's made my days more enjoyable  
with their wonderful fics and their endless encouragement, and   
those who've e-mailed me privately and nudged me for a new part^_~  
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com  
  
- Minako-chan  



	4. The Kiss Meant Nothing

A Second Chance At Love  
Chapter 4: The Kiss Meant Nothing  
By: Minako-chan  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say Sailor Moon belongs to me,  
it doesn't. *shoulders sagging*  
  
Author's Notes: Just a fic inspired by a short Chinese series.  
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com ^_^  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 4: The Kiss Meant Nothing  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Usagi tossed and turned, knocking her stuffed animals off the  
bed, along with a pillow.  
  
"Damnit, Mamoru." She cursed as she glanced out to see the dark   
sky. The moon was covered by a heavy black cloud. Somewhere out   
there, Usagi knew, Mamoru was probably strolling through a park   
by himself. She knew it was what he liked to do whenever he was...  
  
Whenever he was feeling what she was feeling now.  
  
Confused, hurt, angry, depressed, to name a few. She did not   
know which she was feeling the most.  
  
She could hear the slamming of the car door on her driveway.   
Her family was back, laughing loudly as they entered the house.   
Something about Shingo, her brother, being set up by a family  
friend with a girl who was six years older than him.  
  
"Ugh! I can't believe they did that!" Shingo's deep voice echoed   
through the empty halls. Usagi smiled. How fast had time passed.   
Shingo was well into highschool, and puberty did the best for him.   
He was tall, muscular, popular in his school. The boyish smile  
never left his face. The sandy brown hair and those soft, brown   
eyes...  
  
Usagi winced at the image. She loved her brother dearly, but   
lately she had tried her best to avoid him.  
  
'Usagi-chan, why do you keep shutting me out?' Shingo had said   
just earlier in the day. 'It's as if I---'  
  
He never finished his sentence. Usagi had closed the door, leaning   
against it as she slid down to the floor, still seeing Shingo's   
pained features.  
  
The truth was, how could she look at him again when he alone   
reminded of Motoki the most? He was an exact replica of Motoki's   
younger self, when Motoki used to work at the arcade.  
  
"Shh, Shingo, it's late. Usagi's sleeping. She needs her rest."   
Usagi heard her mother say downstairs.  
  
"Maybe I should talk louder then." Usagi heard Shingo retort as he   
made his way up the stairs and walked pass her room. "And maybe she   
would come out of her room for once and yell at me, like she used   
to."   
  
Shingo sobbed but quickly walked into the room and closed the door   
softly.  
  
Usagi had heard.  
  
Her mother sighed and the next thing Usagi heard before she drifted   
between sleep and consciousness was soft comforting words from her   
father.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Usagi-chan?" The cheerful voice of Minako spoke on the other  
line.  
  
"Hai, Minako-chan. It's me." Usagi smiled. After all, it had  
been a while since she talked to the girls. They had kept their  
distance, knowing that if Usagi needed them, she would go to  
them, otherwise she would want to be left alone.  
  
"I'm so glad you called. The girls are here at my place! We  
are just doing the usual - you know, chatting about everything  
and anything at all."  
  
Minako paused.  
  
"God, Usagi-chan, we missed you." Her voice sounded muffled.  
Then Usagi heard some struggling in the background.  
  
"GIMME IT!" Rei's fiery tone echoed.   
  
"NO! She called ME!" Minako squealed. "Obviously she wants  
to talk to me!"  
  
"Well, I'm sure she called the temple first and was told by  
Gramps that we're here!" Rei spat and then grabbed the phone.  
  
"Usagi-chan!" She gushed. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine, Rei." Usagi laughed.  
  
"We have so much catching up to do, don't we, Usagi-chan? We  
should definitely get together." Rei smiled, hearing Usagi's  
laughter for the first time in two months.  
  
Usagi heard more fighting in the background.  
  
"Definitely, Usagi-chan. I've wanted to see you for so long,  
but, I just didn't know if you could..." Makoto's sentence was  
cut off by a loud 'yeow', obviously from being elbowed or   
punched by Rei.  
  
Usagi smiled. How she had missed the girls. Why she did not  
choose to talk to them still remained a mystery. Perhaps she  
really needed to be alone. To put the past behind her, to do  
this task by herself.  
  
"Usagi-chan, how about we meet in half an hour at the park?"  
Ami said quietly, covering the speaker from the fights in the  
background.  
  
Usagi glanced at the clock on the wall. "Sure thing, Ami-chan,  
tell minna I'm ready."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mamoru sat down on the bench, watching the children throw a   
frisbee back and forth, a puppy in between, running for the  
bright yellow disc.  
  
A couple rollerbladed hand in hand toward the ice cream   
stand, and another sitting together under a tree.  
  
He stared at his hands, his trembling hands. They had not  
stopped trembling ever since the day...  
  
Mamoru winced. Ever since the day when he stupidly decided  
to kiss Usagi. Usako.  
  
And then, she avoided him for a whole month. She ignored  
his calls, she avoided the paths that he normally took, and  
somehow, she quitted teaching at the local primary school.  
He had tried calling her family, and apparently they did not  
seem to know what happened, and only told him that Usagi   
wanted to be left alone, though they admitted they could not  
understand why Usagi would want to withdraw from Mamoru.  
But perhaps, Usagi's mother suggested, that seeing him might  
bring back too much memories of Motoki because after all,   
Mamoru was Motoki's best friend.  
  
Familiar voices interrupted Mamoru's thoughts. His eyes   
widened when he listened to their conversation.  
  
"I CANNOT BELIEVE Usagi-chan's finally opening up again! I   
was so ecstatic when she called! Oh gosh, us five haven't been  
together for two months, can you believe it?" Minako's voice  
chirped.  
  
"Just be careful of what we say. Two months aren't exactly  
long enough to get over pain like this. But it's a step,  
after all." Ami added thoughtfully.  
  
"Yeah, Mako-chan, what were you thinking? If I hadn't slammed  
my fist into your stomach you woulda brought up those memories  
again..." Rei sighed. "Usagi-chan is so strong. I don't think  
-I- would be able to start over in two months' time. Poor  
Usagi-chan."  
  
Mamoru's heart began to beat wildly against his chest as his  
palms became sweaty with nervousness. Usagi was going to meet  
the rest of the girls right where he was. Would she see him?  
And if she did see him, would she avoid him?   
  
"Yeah, poor Usagi-chan. Her mother told me that she has been  
refusing to see anyone for the past two months." Ami stated  
and began to pace in front of the other three girls.  
  
"But I thought she told us that Usagi went to visit Mamoru-kun?  
To give back a box, Mrs. Tsukino said." Makoto questioned.  
  
"Speaking of Mamoru-kun, has anyone seen him? I haven't heard  
from him...which is strange, because he's been away the same  
time Usagi-chan decided to be alone..." Minako said seriously.  
  
"No, I haven't seen Mamoru at all. But then again, none of us   
would have gone back to the arcade, ne? I don't think any   
of us would go back there, not after ---" Rei paused when  
she heard footsteps approaching.  
  
Mamoru thought he would stop breathing. He could feel her  
presence.  
  
"Ohayo, minna." Usagi's voice greeted.  
  
Mamoru swallowed hard and closed his eyes. How he had missed  
this voice.  
  
"Ohayo, Usagi-chan!" Four cheerful voices chirped. Mamoru could  
feel Usagi smiling even though his back was turned toward her.  
  
"Alright!" Mako shouted. "The gang is together again!"  
  
Usagi chuckled lightly and Rei joined in. Mamoru heard a loud   
'slap' and knew that Rei had wrapped an arm around Usagi's   
petite shoulders a bit -too- violently.  
  
"And you know who we should get to complete the gang? Mamoru!" Rei  
laughed. Mamoru smiled inwardly, wanting to reward the fiery   
priestess with a warm hug.  
  
Usagi's chuckling ceased.  
  
"What's wrong, Usagi-chan?" Ami asked. Mamoru sat up unconsciously,  
wanting to hear Usagi, feeling that she would tell the girls what  
happened, and he would lose the rest of the girls as well.  
  
"Nothing, minna, nothing." Usagi mumbled.  
  
The four girls sucked in their breaths and held it as they looked  
at each other, worried.  
  
"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Minako squealed, trying to   
break the uncomfortable silence, "Let's go shopping!"  
  
She paused. "Hmm...girls?"  
  
"You know what? I will catch you guys later at the mall, I just   
want to have a short walk first, okay, minna?" Usagi asked weakily,  
hoping that they would not question her.  
  
The girls exchanged worried glances again.   
  
"Okay, Usagi-chan, we'll be in the food court, okay? We still have  
to grab lunch together." Makoto smiled. "Let's go, girls!"  
  
Smiling, Usagi was grateful that her friends were so understanding.  
As she turned around, she saw a dark figure occupying the bench that  
she normally sat when she wanted to think, the bench which faced a  
small fountain.  
  
"Kami..." Usagi brought a hand to her mouth, but not before letting  
the soft gasp escape.  
  
At the same moment, Mamoru stood up slowly and turned around to   
face her.  
  
'She can't hide from me forever, might as well get this over with.'  
Mamoru thought, cringing at the possibility that she would run away  
right at that moment.  
  
A breeze blew in the air, making their hair dance. Mamoru gazed at  
Usagi with affection while Usagi managed to avoid eye contact,   
staring at a spot above his head.  
  
"Usagi-chan, it's good to see you." Mamoru cleared his throat and   
said hoarsely.  
  
"It's good to see you too, Mamoru-san." Usagi replied politely.  
  
Another moment of awkward silence. Usagi drew in a deep breath  
and clutched at her chest, biting her lip nervously, not knowing  
what to say.  
  
"Usagi, about what happened..." Mamoru took a deep breath as well  
and began.  
  
Usagi swallowed and looked into his eyes. Her heart wrenched with  
misery when she saw the sincerity and pain in those two pools of  
dark blue. Giving him an encouraging smile, she hoped that he would  
tell her what she wanted to hear.  
  
"I can explain..." He continued and looked down at the ground in   
shame.  
  
Seeing that he regretted his actions, Usagi walked toward him and  
took hold of his hands which were trembling and fidgeting.  
  
The simple touch made what Mamoru was about to say so much more  
difficult.  
  
"Then, Mamoru-san, please explain..." Usagi whispered and furrowed  
her brows as she continued to study his bent head, not wanting to  
lose the friendship she had with him.  
  
"I...I miss Motoki, as much as you do, Usagi-chan...and, that night,  
I was just...I just really, really missed my best friend..." He  
choked on his words.  
  
"I understand, Mamoru-san..." Usagi said, urging him to go on.  
  
"And I was just weak at the moment, and you offered me comfort..."  
Mamoru bit his lip hardly, continuing to avoid looking into her eyes,  
knowing he could never continue lying to her if he looked into those  
two blue crystals.  
  
Usagi released a soft sigh of relief, not meant to be heard, but   
Mamoru heard it nonetheless, breaking his heart into a million pieces.  
He took another deep breath, realizing what he was about to say would   
be the only thing that could get Usagi's friendship and trust again.   
And so, he would tell her the biggest lie he could ever tell in his   
life.  
  
"The kiss meant nothing, Usagi-chan."  
  
When he heard no reply, he looked up into Usagi's blue eyes.   
  
'Forgive me, God, for lying.' He thought.  
  
What he did not expect, though he had always known she was forgiving,  
was a bear hug from Usagi.  
  
"I'm so glad to hear that, Mamoru-san!" She said, her voice muffled  
when she buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around  
his waist.  
  
Mamoru hesitated, but slowly he brought his hand lovingly to pat her   
head gently, noticing for the first time since Usagi had last visited   
his apartment, that his hands had stopped trembling. But his heart  
seemed to have stopped beating the moment those words came out of his  
mouth.  
  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 5: Couldn't They?  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  



	5. Couldn't They?

A Second Chance At Love  
Chapter 5: Couldn't they?  
By: Minako-chan  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say Sailor Moon belongs to me,  
it doesn't. *shoulders sagging*  
  
Author's Notes: Just a fic inspired by a short Chinese series.  
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com ^_^  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Recap of Chapter 4: The Kiss Meant Nothing  
  
"I'm so glad to hear that, Mamoru-san!" She said, her voice muffled  
when she buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around  
his waist.  
  
Mamoru hesitated, but slowly he brought his hand lovingly to pat her   
head gently, noticing for the first time since Usagi had last visited   
his apartment, that his hands had stopped trembling. But his heart  
seemed to have stopped beating the moment those words came out of his  
mouth.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 5: Couldn't They?  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Moshi moshi." Mamoru yawned as he picked up the phone.  
  
"Mamoru-san?" He heard Usagi's voice on the other end, and he sat up  
on impulse, clasping the phone tightly.  
  
"Is that you, Usagi?" He smiled and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"I was wondering if you want to come out with us. The girls have  
been so great, they have organized this trip." Usagi explained, excited.  
  
"A trip?" His pulse quickened. Usagi wanted him to come along on a trip?  
  
"Yes. Minako was discovered by this modelling agency, and she's going  
on tour in Paris." Usagi laughed. "So, she's invited all of us to come  
along. She's got tickets already for the fashion show, and because it's  
not a busy time of the year, we managed to get plane tickets."  
  
"All of us, meaning..." He paused.  
  
"The other girls, and you." Usagi finished the sentence for him.  
  
"God, that's great! I could use a break." He stretched and rolled  
onto his back.  
  
"Better pack up then, mister, we're leaving tomorrow night." Usagi  
tried to stifle a giggle, knowing how panicked Mamoru would be, being  
the organized person that he was, never wanting to leave everything   
at the last minute.  
  
Mamoru's eyes widened. "WHAT???????" He cried out as he tried to sit  
up again, only to bump his head onto the headboard painfully in the  
process.  
  
The last thing he heard before Usagi hung up was her laughter, echoing  
in his room long minutes after he himself hung up. He smiled and knew  
that with Usagi, he would do anything out of his character.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Rei leaned onto her elbow as she peered up at Minako.  
  
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Minako-chan? After all, it's only  
been a short while since Motoki...you know..." She asked, hesitant.  
  
"Of course it is. It'll be good for her to be away for a while."  
Minako tossed her hair.  
  
"Yes, that's true, but out of all places, you had to choose the   
city of love?" Makoto sighed. "I don't know...what if...what if  
she gets worse?"  
  
"She can't get worse. She's been doing so well for the past two  
weeks, right? Sure, there have been times when her eyes would  
water up, but that's only natural, right?" Minako replied with  
confidence.  
  
"You still haven't answered Mako-chan's question. Why the city of  
love?" Ami inquired.  
  
A glint of mischief appeared in Minako's bright blue eyes. "That,  
my dear friends, is where my genius comes in." She grinned. "Have  
you noticed how much closer Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san have become  
during the past few weeks?"  
  
The other three girls exchanged looks and nodded in unison, smiles  
making their way to their faces.  
  
"Exactly. And did anyone else wonder why they both happened to   
be depressed at the same time two weeks ago? Usagi-chan refused  
to speak unless it was necessary, and Mamoru refused to meet any  
of us." Minako smiled in triumphant. "They are closer than we all  
think."  
  
The girls' mouths all held an 'O' shape.  
  
"But, maybe...maybe it's because Usagi and Mamoru were the ones  
closest to Motoki, and now that he has passed on they have become  
closer to hang onto his memory." Ami pondered, scratching her chin.  
  
"Maybe. But either way, they have grown closer together, and I'm  
hoping Mamoru can help Usagi break down the walls that she's built  
around herself, to show her that she can love again. And of course,  
Mamoru can benefit from this too. I've always seen the way he looks  
at her, even when Usagi and Motoki were together."  
  
"You've seen it too?! I thought I was the only one to notice!" Rei  
threw her arms in air in frustration. "I thought I was imagining  
things!"  
  
"Oh, the way they always fought in the arcade, always flirting with  
each other! When I first met them, I thought they were a couple  
more than with Motoki..." Ami gushed. The other girls stared at her  
in disbelief, and she was quickly covered in a shade of red.  
  
"But let's be serious here. What if the plan doesn't work? What if  
they don't fall in love? They might be too awkward around each other  
and might probably stop being friends too..." Makoto stared into a   
distance.  
  
"That's a risk that we all are going to have to take, not just Usagi  
and Mamoru. Mamoru is a good man. He's already head over heels in  
love with her, I'm sure he will treat her well. As for Usagi, she's  
our best friend. She's young. She deserves a second chance at love."  
Rei whispered as her eyes welled up with tears.  
  
"We only have a time limit of three weeks to make them fall in love.  
That's a little quick, isn't it?" Ami said in a worried tone.  
  
"Nothing is impossible for love. Trust me on that one." Minako looked  
away, remembering her unrequited love for Motoki long before Usagi and  
Motoki became a couple. "If it's meant to be, they will be fine."  
  
"Hey, Minako-chan, you never did tell us how you're going to get out   
of the lie of being in a fashion show." Makoto suddenly realized. Minako   
was never 'discovered' by any agency. There was no way she could appear  
in a show.  
  
The girls' heads perked up for Minako's answer. The girl only turned  
red and laughed, with a hand behind her head. "Let's just hope that  
those two will be too in love to even notice."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Usagi sat on her suitcase, attempting to shut it completely so she could  
zip it up and go to bed.  
  
"ARGH! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY INSIDE THE SUITCASE!" She yelled in   
frustration at a piece of clothing sticking out.  
  
Shingo poked his head into her room. "Hate to tell ya, sis, but it might  
help if you fold up the clothes neatly instead of throwing them in as  
a ball."  
  
A pillow flew across the room immediately into his face. He laughed  
whole-heartedly before closing the door again. It had been a while to  
get Usagi to become 'normal' again, he realized, and instead of the cruel  
fights they used to pick on one another, the fights they had now were  
more like jokes. They never took them to their hearts, and knew that they  
cared about each other.  
  
Usagi lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, panting from fatigue from  
stomping on her suitcase. The moonlight made its way into her room, and  
a photoframe caught the moonlight, glaring brightly at Usagi. She got  
up and walked over, picking up the glass frame gingerly, her fingers  
on the cool surface.  
  
Her favourite picture again, of herself, Motoki, and Mamoru.  
  
But somehow, her heart skipped a beat as she looked at Mamoru's handsome  
face in the picture. Her hand rested on her lower lip, and she blushed  
at the memory of their kiss, as inappropriate as it was.  
  
Hands trembling from feelings of betrayal toward Motoki, she dropped the  
frame to the hard floor below with a loud clash, some broken pieces of  
glass cutting into her delicate flesh. A drop of blood landed onto the  
picture. Sighing sadly, she realized her love had left her, and she had  
pushed away a man who might have loved her. Maybe, she thought to herself,   
maybe she was meant to be alone.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 6: City of Love  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  



End file.
